Understanding Through Experience: Physiotherapy Students Try Wheelchair Mobility

Today's lesson for our Bachelor in Physiotherapy students came with wheels.

Our students put their skills to the test by learning how to propel, steer and navigate a wheelchair, stepping into the shoes, or wheels, of the patients they will one day treat.

The session challenged students to move beyond theory and experience firsthand what it takes to manoeuvre a wheelchair: building the strength, coordination and control needed to move confidently, turn corners and manage everyday obstacles. What can look simple from the outside quickly reveals itself to be a real physical and technical challenge.

Because becoming a great physiotherapist isn't just about treating patients, it's about understanding their experience. By putting themselves in a patient's position, students gain valuable insight into the physical and practical challenges some of their future patients face daily, insight that will shape the way they approach patient care throughout their careers.